One Day at Twelve
It was late autumn in my twelfth year, a time when having three people in the shop felt quite natural.
“Ain, squirt.”
“No, I'm not a squirt.”
On a day when the woman was still trailing after me, helping with chores, Uncle called out to me out of the blue.
“Anyway, squirt, I've been thinking.”
“About what?”
When I asked, Uncle made a proposal I hadn't even dreamed of.
“No, it's nothing big. What if we taught that kid you brought in to work at the shop too?”
“Uh...”
I never imagined such words coming from Uncle's mouth, so I just stared at him blankly.
Uncle scratched his head awkwardly and continued.
“She's helping you out anyway, so why not hire her properly? Unless you think it's a bad idea...”
That wasn't why I'd been staring.
“No... I think it's a great idea.”
It was something I'd felt too guilty to even suggest, after they'd already let her live here.
I'd been agonizing over how far I could push my luck.
“I can't pay her much, but she'll get a proper wage, of course.”
“That's fine. You can take a bit from my pay and give her more—just let her work.”
In other words, leaving her behind to go on my journey had been nagging at me.
I wanted her to adapt and live well even after I left.
I hoped to see her living an ordinary life.
I wasn't planning to wander for twenty or thirty years, nor did I intend to part with her forever.
But my small yet profound wish was that she could manage in the empire without me.
I wanted her to take one more step into the world.
And Uncle had brought it up first.
Gratefully, so.
“Alright, then go ask her and let me know.”
“Thanks, Uncle.”
“Psh. You're basically offering to work her cheap, kid.”
So I flashed a grin and gave Uncle a quick hug.
“Heh heh, seriously, thank you.”
“Hey! Don't just grab me like that, you creepy brat!”
What a good guy, honestly.
After my talk with Uncle, I headed to the woman, who was sitting there blankly watching us.
As I approached, she shyly spread her arms like she wanted a hug too.
I couldn't help but chuckle and went to her.
“Ain, what happened?”
“Hey, wanna work at the shop too?”
I said it to her, arms still open wide.
“But I'm already helping.”
“Not just helping. Don't you wanna get paid for it?”
She tilted her head, not quite getting it.
“Oh, paid...”
“...”
Her face hardened a bit as she pondered my words.
“...Can I get money too?”
“Yeah, it's only fair to get paid for your work.”
She nodded a few times, thinking hard.
“Then I wanna work like Ain...”
Her face brightened as she agreed.
So I took her still-flailing hands and pulled her up.
I hadn't planned to hug her—just help her stand.
But now she pouted at me.
“You hugged that guy, but not me.”
“No, that's—”
“You said being fair is important. This isn't fair.”
“...Okay.”
She stomped her feet, arms wide again, begging for a hug.
Only after I gave her a light embrace did she shrug her shoulders happily, smiling.
I'd boldly said I wanted her to work, but there were a few things we needed first.
For starters, she still didn't know polite speech.
She hadn't learned to respect elders, superiors, or customers.
There was so much to teach that I'd planned to cram it before leaving, but now it jumped to the top priority.
To work at a grocery shop, polite speech came first.
“Polite speech is easier than you think. Just add '~please' at the end of what you normally say, or '~sir,' '~ma'am,' or '~it is' like that.”
“Bye please?”
But it wasn't that easy a process.
“...Uh, well, it's not wrong, but a bit more politely...”
“What's polite?”
She picked it up a little strangely.
“It's like... respecting someone older or higher than you.”
“Shop customers are higher?”
I had no clue how to explain it.
“...”
“Skip it if you don't know.”
I just watched her tilt her head.
Yeah. Polite speech... we'd take it slow.
Anyway.
Next, she needed something to hide her appearance.
The robe had to cover her head to toe, so she couldn't wear it while working.
“Yansen, got anything that changes your looks?”
“What the hell is this out-of-nowhere... not a kid anymore, but still creepy tall freak.”
So I headed straight to the adventurer's shop.
“Something that changes your looks.”
“That's not the point. Long time no see, say hi first, you beanpole.”
His incredulous stare made me tilt my head.
“Huh? Don't you just need enough money? Never thought you'd want a greeting.”
“...What do you even think I am?”
Honestly, a money ghost.
“Uh, you like money?”
“Yeah, that's true... but I'm human too. When an old customer shows up grown like this, I'm happy. Give me that much.”
His slightly hurt tone made me scratch my head sheepishly.
I hadn't expected that from him.
Come to think of it, I'd treated him like an NPC especially.
Different from Uncle Rendo or other market folk.
His name was in the novel, even nicknamed money ghost.
Pay and he'd treat a kid like a customer.
“...Uh. Um...”
“Don't take it seriously. Just saying. It's been a while.”
He acted just like in the book, so I'd thought he wasn't real.
Rudely, like a machine spitting outputs from inputs.
Now I realized: the guy propping his chin, staring at me, was just another person in this world.
This vast world, once mere fiction, was becoming reality bit by bit.
I started accepting it.
“So don't treat me like a machine. At least act like I'm human. Makes me as glad as it does bummed.”
His grin made me laugh too.
And like he wanted, I greeted first.
“Yeah. Long time no see, Yansen.”
“Right, customer. Long time. What brings you today?”
It might seem formal, but I retraced the steps.
“Here to buy something that changes appearances.”
“Hm, for you?”
“No, someone else.”
Not for me, and he smirked slyly.
“Ah, for that robe owner from before?”
“...Something like that.”
I mulled over how he spun wild tales from just a robe purchase.
“Keh heh, little punk acting like a man, planning a lover's escape?”
“Not for that. Just need it.”
“Sure, everyone says that when they need it. Hm, I'll pick something pretty for a lady.”
“No, really.”
Uncle Rendo, Yansen—everyone jumping to weird conclusions was ridiculous.
“Here. How's this?”
“...Nice.”
The sapphire shone a shy sky-blue.
I pictured her wearing it, smiling brightly.
It was so beautiful, I nodded.
“Good quality. Unless it's a high mage or top adventurer, no one'll see through it.”
“You sure have stuff like this.”
“Adventurer connections, kid. Don't pry—knowledge hurts.”
The novel didn't detail that, so I didn't know.
I nodded vaguely and took it.
But.
“30,000 tera.”
“Whoa... too pricey. Discount a bit.”
Way more expensive than I'd thought.
Four months' work plus some.
“Can't discount everything or I starve. 30,000 tera.”
“20,000.”
Bargaining time.
“...Crazy? 30,000's already discounted, nutjob.”
“20,000.”
“No. Get out.”
The robe was a month's pay each; couldn't burn this on a necklace.
“20,000.”
“40,000, punk. You're too cheeky.”
“Hey! You said see you as human, not cheapskate! Discount more!”
“Brat, I said human, not sucker?”
But human bonds mean playing sucker sometimes.
“Like you said, got a girl to give it to—discount? 25,000, deal?”
“Deal my ass. Wanna discount? Be polite.”
“Honored Yansen, please lower the price a tad. This ignorant fool begs—25,000 tera.”
“No.”
“What the fu...”
Damn money ghost.
All prior sentiment canceled.
After haggling forever, I got it for 25,000 tera.
With a promise to buy all my travel gear here.
“...Greedy bastard.”
Thinking of the original 45,000 tera price, I was the greedy one.
Hm.
“...”
Yeah, thanks.
Light steps back to the shop.
Sky already darkening.
Closed up, then went to Yansen's.
Hurried now to the grocery.
Clutching the necklace case carefully, oddly excited.
Painful expense? Maybe, but no regrets unlike before.
My resolve was firm.
Her unchanged self post-awakening eased my inner fears.
I knew she was trying not to change too.
This gift was easy to give.
That's all.
Knock knock on the shop door, click—it opened.
“Ain? Forget something?”
Her lips twitched happily as she spoke.
“Here.”
“Huh...?”
Her eyes widened at the small case I held out.
“Figured you'd need it for shop work.”
“...”
I smiled and offered the necklace—that was reason enough.
Trembling hands from me, trembling hands to her.
Silence passed.
She opened the case carefully, peering in.
Gray hair.
Gray eyes.
Slender jaw.
Pale skin.
Delicate hands.
Feminine curves emerging.
She gazed at the necklace, lips curving up.
“Ain, is this a gift for me?”
“...Bought it 'cause you need it.”
Her eyes curved softly as she asked.
“Thanks... I'll treasure it.”
“Changes your looks, so wear it always.”
Her face shifted oddly, emotions spilling.
Sad, then joyful, expressions flickering.
Eyes sharp, then cloudy.
Then she lifted the necklace to me.
“...Can you put it on me?”
“...”
She sparkled.
Maybe the streetlamp in the dusk, but she glowed.
“...Can't?”
“I'll do it.”
I nodded.
Took it, clasped it around her neck myself.
The blue gem touched her skin, shy sky-blue from her throat.
Hair, eyes slowly shifted colors.
Not a total stranger—just the telltale parts hidden, still a beautiful woman facing me.
“How's it look, Ain?”
“...Suits you.”
Still her bright smile.
Still eyes only for me.
We faced each other just like that.
